The Moore Theatre
My Memories Contest
Sponsored by The Seattle Times

For the last 100 years, The Moore Theatre has been host to thousands of performances providing Seattle with countless memories – and we invited you to share them with us. From your first concert, to your favorite artist, to a night out you’ll never forget, we wanted to hear how The Moore Theatre became part of your personal history. Below are the winning submissions from our patrons. Enjoy!

“Moore Theatre Pearls”
by Noma Edwards

1946 was a year of servicemen returning to jobs they left behind when they went off to war. My mother, a single parent, lost her civil-servant job and was anxious to find new employment. A lead led her to The Moore Theatre and the manager, Mrs. Yielding, hired her as “girl Friday”. Soon my mother was answering phones, selling tickets, taking reservations or running to the bank with cash deposits; anything that needed doing, my mother was glad to do it. Mrs. Yielding held a soft spot for this single mom living on a shoestring.

After several months at work, my mother received an amazing gift from her boss: a string of pearls. The Lost and Found box at The Moore Theatre was often filled with a variety of valuable articles that were left behind by theatergoers. The articles remained in the box for many weeks until it became clear that no one was coming to retrieve them. At that point, they were either donated or discarded, and that is how Mrs. Yielding came to have the pearls. These pearls were the nicest piece of jewelry that my mother owned.

Over the years the pearls played a much more significant role in our family besides gracing my mother’s neck. Mom would frequently pawn the pearls for $10.00 in order to buy a week’s worth of groceries. The pearls were always retrieved from the pawn shop because they were a family treasure, but they helped keep our struggling family “afloat” during difficult times.

In 1965, I wore the pearls, a gift from my mother, at my wedding. I eventually had them appraised and discovered they were valued at $1,500.00. My mother was not surprised. “I knew they were valuable or I couldn’t have gotten the $10.00 from the pawn shop,” she said, smiling at the memory. In 2000, our daughter wore the pearls at her wedding as a gift from my husband and me.

Our family still marvels at the kindness shown to our mother by Mrs. Yielding and whenever we pass that still gracious Moore Theatre building, we are reminded of a simple string of pearls that fed our family.

By Olive E. Healy

I was 14 in 1943 when my mother and I attended an “Honor Award” meeting at The Moore Theatre. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was the Honored Speaker at the meeting. She was introduced by her daughter who lived here. It was very full. My mother was a garment worker making jackets for soldiers.

By Patti Stewart Burgess

I have fond memories of dancing on The Moore Theatre’s great stage as a “Barclay girl” in their annual recitals called “SPRING REVUE”, specifically June 20, 1947 and June 25, 1948. Also, as a member of the USO Troop “FUN VENDORS”. I was part of a show on April 9, 1948 to raise money for the 1948 Cancer Drive. At the age of 15 and 16 in those days, I felt very grown-up to perform on such a fabulous stage in that great theatre. Happy centennial – Happy Birthday to The Moore – may it last another century!

By Randi Gustavson

I was a high school senior in 1970 and was very lucky; I worked for The Moore Theatre as an usher when “HAIR” was here. After helping count the ticket stubs, I saw about 60 partial performances. We ushers also checked for anyone using a camera during the show, and I found someone using a small sliding “spy”-type camera during the nude scene. At the end of the show’s run, the author, James Rado, came out to Seattle. He was backstage watching the performance and he let me audition the next time “HAIR” came to Seattle by letting me sing along to Woof’s solo. He autographed the backside of “the Lovers” flyer from the play with “You’re the next Woof. James Rado”. That was such a great thing to look forward to, but when “HAIR” returned 30-some years later, it was way too late for me. By the way, I want to apologize to the guy who played “Woof” that night because Rado didn’t hear his solo.

By Burton E “Bud” Bard, Jr.

I have been debating about sending this in, but then decided. It qualifies as A Night That I Will Never Forget. I started piano lessons in 1939. In 1940, my mother (wanting to inspire me) took me to a piano concerto at The Moore Theatre. There we were in the balcony, my mother excited and me being dragged along, and I threw up! I have been back many times over the years, but that stuck with me to this day. I never forgot it, and I am sure that those I threw up on never have forgotten it either. I still play the piano.

By Valerie Evans

In 1968 and ’69, I attended the Director’s Studio of Speech and Drama, an acting school housed in The Moore Theatre. I was 19 years old and yearning to be an actress. I attended classes several nights a week and between sitting in the auditorium critiquing another classmate’s work and taking my turn in front of the audience, The Moore became my second home. I’ll never forget the thrill I felt rehearsing on that wonderful old stage. As life took its turns, I became involved in other endeavors, but Seattle’s Moore Theatre will always have a special place in my heart. Every time I drive by, I have to smile remembering those exciting days of my youth on the stage at The Moore.

By Patricia J. Brons

My love affair with the venue The Moore Theatre has been ongoing for thirty-eight years. Not once did I ever dislike any of the shows. Since there were numerous favorites, I will stick to three favorites. “Hair” in 1970 was my ultimate real eye-opener for a sheltered Catholic schoolgirl such as myself. The war with the parents was well worth the rebel stance to see such freedom of speech and movement. This was closely followed by another phenomenal group called Fleetwood Mac, with singer Jeremy Spencer performing their hits from Kiln House. The Moore was rocking that night – nobody sat. This summer, my daughter and I stood in line to see The Raconteurs with the electrifying guitar riffs by Jack White. All three of these performances have left indelibly fond memories. Keep the music coming!

By Elizabeth Stuart

I was born in 1925 – grew up on lower Capitol Hill, and every Saturday morning from the age of five or so until twelve or thirteen (the ‘30s), my mother and I took a streetcar to dancing classes at a studio near the old Broadway High School. Each spring the dance studio held recitals, and I remember many of them were held at The Moore Theatre. These were very formal events – advertised in the newspapers and printed programs. I remember receiving gifts of flowers and cards of congratulations – very exciting for a youngster! We rehearsed our special dance routines for weeks before, each age group and type of dancing: tap, toe, ballet, acrobat, etc. To be that young and to be dancing before a huge (in my eyes) audience in that awesome theatre was such a thrill! And between “acts” and while rehearsing, we were allowed to explore all the underground levels of that wonderful old building. I’m 82 and I still remember it well!

By Ruth Anderson

Members of The Tribe processed over our heads on the armrests of the seats. Others swooped from the balcony to the stage on rope swings. Strobe lights ushered what appeared to be a cast of hundreds off to Vietnam. The Moore always has and always will take me back to my junior year in high school and that 1970 spring matinee of “Hair”.

By Larry Wilkinson

It was June of 1978. A determined group of college students were able to perform Scott Joplin’s only opera, Treemonisha. It was composed in 1911. We gave two shows. A huge credit goes to Lou Levy for keeping the dream together. I am Larry Wilkinson and I was the musical director. I will always treasure that moment in The Moore Theatre.

By Alex Davies

Long Live The Moore Theatre

We are so lucky to have this beautiful old theatre. One of my first recollections there is attending a concert by the great Oscar Levant in about 1949. He showed his expertise at the piano along with his wit. As a very young lad, I vaguely remember seeing a prizefight with my Dad, where the pool was. Recollections include seeing Chaplin’s “City Lights” on the screen before his pictures went into general release after his death, and the roadshow of “Hair”. I was impressed by the singer Don McLean who came out after intermission and told his group to lay off their electric instruments and as he put down his electric guitar, he spoke of how some of these old houses had such perfect acoustics and proceeded to talk and play and sing and you could hear every word just perfectly without a microphone. One of my most memorable shows was seeing Mickey Rooney. Because it was a last minute idea, I figured it would be nearly a sellout and got tickets in the balcony. Well because it was during his sort of down years, the place was near empty. Mickey came out before the curtain and said because there were so few people here he wanted everyone to come down as close to the front as they could. He put on a fantastic show and gave it his utmost and was terrific. After the final curtain and bows, he came out and spoke to his small audience, who gave him a rousing ovation. He said that it might not be the biggest audience he had ever played to, but it had to be one of the greatest. I was pleased to see a few years later Mickey had his much deserved big comeback on Broadway with his “Sugar Babies Show.” He truly showed was a true professional is all about. Long live The Moore Theatre!